A newly appointed member of the Media Authority Board, David John Kumuri has been urged to prioritize national service over tribal interests and to uphold unity, professionalism, and inclusivity in the discharge of their duties.
Speaking during a Thanksgiving ceremony held on Saturday in Juba to celebrate his appointment as a board member of the Media Authority, Tereka Emmanuel, the secretary general of the Pojulu community in Juba, advised John Kumuri to prioritize national service.
“Don’t be a leader who only represents your tribe; be a leader who is there for everybody. We have 64 tribes in this country; be part and parcel of all 64 tribes. Treat them the same way you treated the Pojulu community,” Emmanuel said.
He said his appointment as a board member of the regulatory body is a result of his dedication and hard work demonstrated during his service as spokesperson of the National Security Service.
“Because of his good deeds and love for everyone. His hard work is the reason why we are celebrating him today as a board member of the South Sudan Media Authority,” he said.
He cautioned Kumuri against failing his community and the people of South Sudan, urging him to uphold professionalism and inclusivity in the discharge of his duties.
“I want to say don’t let us down and don’t let your community down, and for this reason, we trust you. Don’t just be a leader but a good leader who represents the citizens of the Republic of South Sudan.”
For his part, Akoch Manhiem, who works in the Office of the Senior Presidential Envoy for Special Programs and is a family friend, described Kumuri as a hardworking man who values the unity of the people of South Sudan.
“I want to say in front of the Pojulu community today that David John Kumuri is a man of hard work, the man who loves the unity of the people of South Sudan. I know this because I worked with him,” said Manhiem.
He expressed confidence in Kumuri’s ability to uphold media principles and respect the voices of people of South Sudan.
“I want to say today that David John Kumuri is a God-given son because nobody will be abused or become voiceless in this country,” he said.
Meanwhile, David John Kumuri, the newly appointed member of the Board of Directors of the South Sudan Media Authority, thanked President Salva Kiir Mayardit for entrusting him with the new role.
“I was handed over to the president of the Republic when I was very young. I am sure some of the generals are witnesses to that. My dad, John Kumuri, who is a best friend of Salva Kiir, went to his house and handed me over,” Kumuri said.
“He (my dad) said if Salva is to die, you should die with him and continue in his service, and that is why today the person who developed me is President Kiir as a private until I was taken outside the country for training.”
Kumuri, who currently serves as spokesperson of the National Security Service, said he has become who he is today because of President Kiir’s mentorship and support.
He pledged his loyalty and commitment to serving both the president and the people of South Sudan.
In a Republican order issued on 24 June 2026, President Salva Kiir Mayardit relieved and appointed a new managing director and reconstituted the Board of Directors of the South Sudan Media Authority, which had served for 10 years.
Kiir appointed senior journalist Ajou Luol Akuei as Managing Director of the Media Authority, replacing Elijah Alier Kuai.
Other members of the board include David John Kamuri, spokesperson of the National Security Service’s Internal Security Bureau; Nyankuac Ngor Chol; Emmanuel Monychol Akop, editor-in-chief of the Dawn Newspaper; Michael James Otor; and Koang Pal Chang, station manager and chief editor of Eye Radio.
